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STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
This report is protected under the provisions of
ST/SGB/273, paragraph 18, of 7 September 1994
UNITED NATIONS
Office of Internal Oversight Services
Investigations Division
REDACTED
REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
(SUMMARY)
ID CASE NO. 0176/05
24 October 2005
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ALLEGATIONS OF INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT, ABUSE OF AUTHORITY
AND ABUSE OF RESOURCES BY A SENIOR OFFICIAL, UNMIL
1. The Investigations Division of the Office of Internal Oversight Services
(ID/OIOS) received information that a former Senior Official of the United Nations
Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was involved in a relationship with a Local Woman who
holds dual American-Liberian citizenship. This Local Woman has close links with the
former Taylor regime in Liberia, both personally and through her family. Her family has
large logging interests in Liberia and well-documented close connections with the Taylor
regime. Additionally, the Nobel Peace Prize nominated NGO "Global Witness" has
alleged that her uncle has been involved in arms smuggling in the region.
2. Senior Official has invited Local Woman to functions both with UNMIL staff and
persons outside the UN, some of which have been of an official nature. A number of
staff interviewed by ID/OIOS expressed concern that the Local Woman was passing
information which she had gathered from Senior Official and UNMIL to Mr. Taylor and
other interested parties.
3. In addition, the Local Woman had traveled on UNMIL air assets on occasion,
although she was not authorized to travel on UN air assets, being neither a UN staff
member nor a person with an official reason to use them. Senior Official made the
request that she be permitted use of the UN shuttle, and UNMIL's senior management
authorized it.
4. The ID/OIOS investigation found evidence that the Senior Official:
a. By maintaining a relationship with the Local Woman, failed to uphold the
standards of conduct expected by the United Nations; and
b. By authorizing the use of United Nations aviation assets by the Local Woman,
a person not authorized to use such assets, failed to carry out, with the best
interests of the Organization in mind, his management responsibilities.
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